Electric controller.



PATENTED JULY 14, 1903.

A. SUNDH.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1903. y

no MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR WITNESSES: J fifiw. 0%.";- A A/MM WM BY PATENTED JULY 14, 1903.

A. SUNDH.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F0 MODEL.

FIG-2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY No. 733,563. V PATENTED JULY 14, 1903. A. SUNDH.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 16, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET '3.

N0 MODEL FIGAr.

- UNITED STATES Patented July 14, 1903.

AUGUST SUNDH, or YONKERS, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

srnolmoarlon forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,563, dated July 14, 1903. Application filed March 16, 1903. Serial N0.14=8,051. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that LAUGUST SUNDH,of Yon kers, \Vestchester county, New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to electromagnetic controlling apparatus and is here illustrated in a device for controlling the strength of cur rent in and hence the speed of an electric motor.

The invention consists, broadly, in means for producing a compound magnetic-circuit including a movable body, means for moving said body to reduce the reluctance in said circuit, and means independent of said body for increasing the magnetic flux in said circuit simultaneously with the movement of said body; also,in means for reducing the reluctance in each of several branch compound magnetic circuits successively and si- 'multaneously with the movement of each movable body therein; also, in the construction of the severable movable magnetic bodies operating as described of substantially equal magnetic conductivity each in a branch magnetic circuit; also, in the devices whereby said bodies control electric circuits; also, in the combination of an electric magnet, its armature, and means actuated by said magnet for moving said armature into attractive proximity to the magnet-pole; also, in the means for retaining said armature in attracted position; also, in the various combinations more particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 shows the construction of the controlling solenoid and dash-pot in enlarged detail and in vertical section. Fig. 4 is a top View, also showing the electrical connections and the motor in the form of a diagram. Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section on the lower part of the controlling-solenoid, showing the means for mechanically retaining the pivoted contact'levers in the position which they assume when the motor is allowed to run at fullspeed.

Similar numbers of reference indicate like parts.

l is the supporting-plate of the apparatus, usually of slate, which is carried by the hinges 2, secured in any suitable manner to -a wall or other support. On the other edge of the plate 1 are eyes 3, which receive between them the fixed sleeve 4, also fastened to the wall, so that by'inserting the pin 5 through the eyes 3 and sleeve 4 the plate is held in closed position. On the rear side of plate 1 is a box 6, which on one edge has lugs 7 on the pivot-rod of hinge 2. After plate 1 has been swung away from the wall the resistance-box 6 may be swung away from the plate to allow of access to the coils within it. In plate 1 are brackets 9 and 10 of magnetic material, between which is the solenoid 11. Suspended from the bracket 10 by the rods 12 is a dash-pot cylinder 13. The movable plunger-core 14 of the solenoid extends downwardly and carries at its lower end a plate 15, through which passes the supporting-rods 12 of the dash-pot cylinder. In order to avoid friction of the plate 15 upon said rods 12 passing through it, I provide rollers 16 in said plate to bear on said rods. Below plate 15 extends the piston-rod 17, which carries the dash-pot piston 18. Communicating with the interior of the dash-pot cylinder on each side of the piston is the by-pass 19, provided with regulating-valve 20. In the dash-pot piston 18 are air-openings closed by adisk-valve 22, provided with an elastic face 23 on its under side. This valve is held to the piston by the helical spring 24 abutting against the fixed collar on the piston-rod. The function of the dash-pot cylinder is to control the speed of the movement of the core of the solenoid 11 in the manner hereinafter to be described.

In the upper head of the dash'pot cylinder is a recess in which is introduced the annular disk 25, of elastic material, which when the core drops receives the impact of the plate 15, and so prevents shock.

Secured to the plate 1 above the solenoid 11 is a standard 26, from each face of which project pairs of rods 27. On each pair of rods is mounted a contact-plate, of which contact-plates there are seven, 28 29 30 31 32 33 34, Fig. 4. The contact-plate 28 is made of metal," preferably of copper. The other contact-plates are preferably faced with carbon, as shown at 35, Fig. 1. On the rods 27 and between the several contact-plates and the face of the standard 26 are interposed helical springs 36, which normally set the sevrial.

eral contact-plates outwardly, while permitting them to yield inwardly when pressure is brought to bear upon their outer faces.

Pivoted upon the sides of the bracket 10 are six contact-levers 37 38 39 4O 41 42, which. are constructed in the following manner: Each lever is made of magnetic material and just above its pivot is provided with a projection 43, Fig. 1, which bears against an adjustable stop 44, arranged in an offset from the side of the bracket 10. By adjusting the several stops 44 the extent of outward throw of each of said levers may be regulated. Above the projection 43 on each lever is an eye 46, through which the conducting-wire connected to that lever passes. Above this again on the side of each lever facing the solenoid are projections 47 48, between which is a recess 49, inwardly beveled to receive a correspondingly-shaped edge of the bracket 9. Inasmuch as the brackets 9 and 10 of the levers 37 to 42 are all of magnetic material, it will be obvious that when the solenoid 11 is energized, the projections 47 and 48 being in inductive proximity to the bracket 10, magnetic circuits are formed through the brackets 9 and 10 and the levers 37 to 42. The object of the projections 47 and 48 is this, namely, that when the levers 37 to 42 are swung to their outermost positions, so that the projections 43 bear against the stops 44, the projections 47 48 will be in astronger part of the magnetic field, produced at the edges of the bracket 9, than are the bottoms of recesses 49, so that the pull of the magnet 9 will be stronger than would be the case if the faces of the levers were merely straight, or, in other words, if such projections 47 48 were absent. Passing through each lever and terminating in a recess 49 is an adjustable stop 50 of non-magnetic mate- The function of this stop when suitably set out toward the bracket 9 is to prevent direct contact of the bottom of the recess with the edge of the bracket 9, and thus to prevent the parts Sticking. The upper end of each lever has an opening in which is placed an insulating-sleeve 51, through which sleeve passes the shank 52 of a copper contact-plate 53. On the rear side of the lever by means of bolts is secured the coupling-plate 54, which is attached to the end of the conducting-wire 55, leading to the lever. The length of the several levers is such that when they are swung inwardly or toward the solenoid 11 the contact-plates 53 on each of them may make contact with the fixed contact-plates, which are supported, as already explained, on the standard 26. The object therefore of the helical springs 36 on said standard is to allow of some yielding'of the said contactplates, and thus prevent shock when the levers are drawn against them, and to insure the making of goodcontact by permitting said plates to adjust themselves to the lever contact-plates 53. The helical springs 36 also operate to take up any wear of the contactplates.

The levers 37 to 42 are adjusted in the following manner: The lever 37is preferably set, by means of its adjusting-stop 44, so that on its extreme outward swing it will still be within the magnetic field of the bracket 9, and therefore will be instantly attracted as soon as that bracket becomes energized. The other levers 38 to 42 are all given an extent of outward swing sufficient to carry them sufficiently far from the bracket 9 as that they will not be attracted under the same circumstances.

In order to cause each lever 38 to 42 to come up against its associated contact 30 to 34 in succession one after another, the following construction is employed. Each lever, below its pivot on the bracket 10, is provided with a downwardly-extending projection 56. The inner lower edge of each projection 56 is curved to make a cam-surface, as shown at 57, Fig. l. The several projections 56 are of different lengths, and their curved cam-surfaces 57 are all in the vertical path of the plate 15, which is carried by the solenoid-core 14. The projection 56 belonging to lever 38 extends farthest down, as shown in Fig. 1, and is the first one encountered by the plate 15 as that plate is drawn upward by the core 14 when the solenoid 11 is energized. As the edge of the plate 15 strikes the cam-face of the projection 56 belonging to lever 38 it mechanically swings that lever outward on its pivot until the projections 47 48 on that lever come suflicie'ntly near the magnet 9 to be attracted by that magnet, and then the attraction of the magnet 9 quickly completes the inward swing of the lever, thus bringing its contact-face 53 into touch with the contact-plate on standard 26. It will be understood, therefore, that this inward swinging of ICO each lever is not done wholly mechanically;

but it is started mechanically and to a sufficient extent to bring it into the magnetic field, and afterward the attraction of the bracket 9 completes the inward throw of the lever. The object of this is to insure rapid closing of the contacts. It will also be apparent that after the ascending plate 15 has passed over the cam-surface 57 of each lever it continues to bear, as shown in Fig. 5, against the inner straight side of the projection 56, and thus operates to hold the lever mechanically in such a position as to maintain the closing of contact between the lever plate 53 and its associated contactplate on standard 26. Now by reason of the different lengths of the downwardly-depending projections 56 of the several levers these levers are operated in succession in the man ner already described. That is to say, first, the projection 56 on the lever 38 is struck and that lever operated, then the projection on lever 39 is struck and that lever operated, and then the levers on the other side of the solenoid are operated, so that there is thus produced a step-by-step closing of contacts.

Returning now to lever 37, the contact- IIO plate 53 carried by that lever is extended, as shown at 57, in front of the fixed copper contact 28, Figs. 2 and 4. The result of this is as follows: When the lever 37 is attracted by the magnetic pull, contact-plate 53 thereon first makes contact with its opposing contact-plate 29 on the standard 26. The pull continuing forces that contact-plate inward against the action of the setting-out spring 36 until a projection 57 can make contact with the contact-plate 2S, and similarly when the lever 37 swings outward contact is first broken at 28 and then at 53. This causes final breaking of the circuit at the carbon contact, and thus obviates any danger of sticking, which might otherwise occur if the contact were wholly of metal.

\Vhile I have described the operation of the first lever 37 as being caused by the magnetic pull, and for that reason in Fig. 2 of the drawings have shown the projection 56 on said lever with a square edge, which of course is at once withdrawn out of the way of the rising plate 15, it should be understood that I do not limit myself to this particular arrangement, because I may arrange the first lever 37 similarly to the other leversthat is to say, with a projection 56, provided with a cam-face 57 and normally placed out of the magnetic field, so that its inward swinging will be caused exactly as in the case of the other levers by the rising of the plate 15. In such case the length of the downward projection 56 on said lever will be such as to cause it first to be operated.

WVithin the box hinged to the back of the supporting-plate 1 are wire resistance-coils, one of which is shown at 58, dotted lines, Fig. 2. These are preferably secured at their ends to rods 59, extending transversely across the box, and of course are insulated from said rod. The four coils indicated in Fig. 4 are connected to binding-posts 60 61 62 63 64.

On the front of the plate 1 are coupling lugs 65 66 67 68 69 70. The positions of these lugs in the circuits are illustrated on the diagram, Fig. 4, by similar numbers. From the lugs 65 to 70 extend the wires 55, which, as

already described, are connected to the several swinging levers 37 to '42.

The operation of the apparatus and the lead of the circuits are as follows: Assuming current to enter at the wire marked plus in Fig. 4, circuit proceeds to the switch 71, thence by wire a to and through the solenoid 11 to the terminal 72, which may be closed by the handswitch 73. Switch 73 being closed, circuit now passes out at the main negative terminal. The position of the parts being as shown in Fig. 1, the solenoid-core being at its lowest position, the first elfect of the closing of circuit through the solenoid is to cause the immediate attraction of the swinging lever 37 and the closing of contact, as already described, first through its associated contact-plate and then through the contact 28. When these contacts are established, the circuit then passes from the wire a to the standard 26 and from said standard to the contact 53 on lever 37 and thence to the wire 6' and then through all of the resistances to the series field o of the motor,-to the armature of the motor, to the main negative terminal. At binding-posts 64 the circuit branches and by wire 01 passes through the shunt-field c of the motor and so, as before, to the negative terminal. All of the resistances then being in and the series field in the motor thus starts slowly. Meantime the core 14 being attracted by the solenoid begins to rise. The plate 15, carried by that core, strikes the projection 56 on lever 38 and brings that lever into the magnetic field, when the leverbecomes attracted, so that contact is closed through the wire 6 to the binding-post 63. Obviously the result then is to cut out the resistances between 63 and 64, so that now current passes to the motor through the remaining three resistances and the series field and so out. The motor then goes faster. In the same manner the plate 15, still rising, actuates the next lever 39 and the circuit passes through the wire f to the binding-post 62, when two resistances are cut out, the current passing through the remaining two resistances to the motor and out. The lever 40 in the same manner is next operated. The wire 9 from this lever connects with binding post 61. Three resistances are thus cut out and one left in the motor-circuit. Then the lever 41 in turn is operated, and as this connects by wire it with binding-post 60 all of the resistances are cut out. Lastly, the lever 42 is operated, and this connects'directly by the wire 5 to the armature of the motor and cuts out the series field. The shunt-field is of course constantly in circuit. In this way the motor is gradually step by step speeded up. Finally, when all the levers have been operated to close their contacts the plate 15 is in its uppermost position, as shown in Fig. 5. In order to make this step-by-step action sufficiently slow, it is of course necessary to regulate the speed of the rising core. This is done, as already stated, by means of the dash-pot. The speed of movement of the piston can be regulated by means of the valve 20 in the by-pass. As the piston rises the valve 22 becomes pressed down over the airopenings in the piston both by the air-pressure above and the helical spring 24. The motor now runs at full speed.

In order to stop the motor, the switch at circuit.

arrest of the core in its lowest position is taken up by the elastic cushion 25, which is met by the plate 15.

I desire now to call special attention to the magnetic system which existsin this apparatus. When the solenoid is energized, two

compound magnetic circuits are necessarily produced, as indicated,by the arrows in Fig. 1, one proceeding through the core and brackets 9 and 10 and a lever or the group of levers (as the case may be) on one side of the solenoid and the other circuit in like manner proceeding through the core, the brackets 9 and 10, and a lever or the group of levers on the opposite side of the solenoid. Because the levers on one side of the solenoid are operated before the levers on the other we may for convenience consider each of these circuits singly. I will assume, to begin, that the core is in its lowest position, as represented in Fig. 1. Obviously under these conditions the length of the air-gap between the top of the core and the magnetic bracket 9 (dotted line 7c representing the top of the core) is at its maximum. Therefore this is the condition of greatest reluctance in the magnetic Now when the first lever 37 is attracted and the core begins to rise this gap begins to diminish, and by the time the plate 15 has brought the second lever 38 into position to be attracted the reduction of this gap has increased the strength of the magnetic flux, so that there is sufficient pull to move that second lever. The core still continuing to rise, by the time the third lever is ready the gap has been again diminished and still more strength is available, and so on through the continual rising of the core in the manner stated an accession of magnetic strength is ready to act upon each lever in turn. This is in addition to the accession of strength which follows at every successive closing of each lever with the bracket 9. The levers themselves are all preferably made of such cross-sectional area as that the whole available magnetic field cannot be completely established until all of the levers are attracted and the core brought to its highest position, or, to put it another way, each lever closes only its proportional part or branch of the magnetic circuit. This is accomplished by the construction of the lever itself in point of cross-sectional area, as I have already eX plained.

Of course when the circuit is broken through the solenoid the whole magnetic field disappears, and then through the mechanical construction the resistances are gradually cut in.

The term compound magnetic circuit hereinafter used means a circuit in which a portion of the path of magnetic flux is nonmagnetic, as when an air-gap occurs between the parts of the circuit made of iron or other magnetic material.

I claim- 1. Means for producing a compound magnetic circuit including a movable body, means teases for moving said body to red ace the reluctance in said circuit, and means independent of said body for increasing the magnetic flux in said circuit simultaneously with the movement of said body.

2. Means for producing a compound magnetic circuit containing a variable reluctance and including a movable body, means for moving said body to reduce the reluctance in said circuit and means independent of said body for reducing still further said reluctance simultaneously with the movement of said body.

3. Means for producing a magnetic circuit including a plurality of movable bodies, means for moving said bodies successively each to reduce the reluctance in a branch of said circuitand means for increasing the magnetic flux in each branch successively and simultaneously with the movement of each body.

4. Means for producing a compound magnetic circuit containing a variable resistance and including a plurality of movable bodies, means for moving said bodies successively each to reduce the reluctance in a branch of said circuit and means for gradually and still further reducing the reluctance in each branch simultaneously with the movement of the body disposed therein.

5. Means for producing a compound magnetic circuit containing a variable resistance and including a plurality of movable bodies of substantially equal magnetic conductivity, means for moving said bodies successively to reduce the reluctance in a branch of said circuit and means for still further reducing said reluctance simultaneously with the movement of each body.

6. Means for producing a compound magnetic circuit, an electric circuit, a movable circuit-closercontrolling said electric circuit and means for moving said circuit-closer simultaneously to close said electric circuit and to reduce the reluctance in said magnetic circuit.

'7. Means forproducingapluralityof branch compound circuits,'a plurality of electric circuits, a. plurality of movable circuit-closers in said branch magnetic circuits and respectively controlling said electric circuits, and means for moving successively said circuitclosers each to reduce the reluctance in a branch magnetic circuit and to close an electric circuit. r

8. In combination with a plurality of movable magnetic bodies in branch compound magnetic circuits, an electromagnet for establishing the magnetic flux in said circuits and positively-acting mechanism controlled by said electromagnet for successively moving said bodies to reduce the magnetic reluctance in said branches.

9. In combination with aplurality of movable magnetic bodies in branch magnetic circuits, an electromagnet for establishing the magnetic flux in said circuit, means controlled by said electromagnet for successively moving said bodies to reduce the magnetic reluctance in said branches and means also controlled by said electromagnet for reducing still further said reluctance coiucidently with the movement of said bodies.

10. In combination with a plurality of movable magnetic bodies in branch compound magnetic circuits, an electromagnet for establishing the magnetic flux in said circuits, means controlled by said magnet for successively moving said bodies to reduce the magnetic reluctance in said branches and means for retaining said bodies in their final posi-' tions.

11. An electromagnet,an armature therefor and a positively-acting mechanism actuated by said magnet for moving said armature into attractive proximity to the magnet-pole.

12. An electromagnet, an armature therefor, and means actuated by said magnet for moving said armature into attractive proximity to the magnet-pole, and means for mechanically retaining said armature in attracted position. s

13. An electromagnet, two armatures therefor, one normally held in attractive proximity to said magnet and the other normally out of such proximity and a positively-acting mechanism actuated by said first armature for bringing said second armature into the attractive field of the magnet-pole.

14. An electromagnet, two armatures therefor one normally held in attractive proximity to said magnet and the other normally out of such proximity, means actuated by said first armature for bringing said second armature into the attractive field of the magnet-pole,and means also controlled by said first armature for retaining said second armature in final attracted position.

15. An electromagnet, an armature therefor, means actuated by said electromagnet for moving said armature into attractive proximity to said electromagnet, an electric circuit and means for closing said circuit by and through said armature when moved into attracted position.

16. An electromagnet, a circuit-closing lever, a contact-terminal, and means actuated by said magnet to move said lever mechanically toward said terminal until said lever is within a sufficiently-strong part of the field of said magnet to cause movement of said lever into contact with said terminal to be completed by magnetic attraction.

17. An electromaguet, an electric-circuit closer, means controlled by said electromagnet for moving said circuit-closer to complete circuit first mechanically and then by magnetic attraction and means automatically operating to hold said circuit-closer in closed position.

18. An electromagnet, aplurality of armatures therefor and a positively-acting mechanism actuated by said electromagnet for sucl cessively moving said armatures into attractive proximity to said electromagnet.

19. An electromagnet, a plurality of armatures therefor, means actuated by said electromagnet for successively moving said arma-- tures into attractive proximity to said electromagnet and an electric-circuit closer controlled by each armature.

20. An electromagnet, an armature therefor, a plurality of fixed contacts and a plurality of contact-levers having cam projections acted upon by said armature; whereby said armature when attracted operates said levers through said cam projections successively to establish circuit with said contacts.

21. An electromagnet, a plurality of fixed contact-levers and means controlled by said electromaguet timed .and operating, first, to successively move said levers to close contact with said fixed contacts and then to retain said levers in closed position.

22. In combination with a plurality of circuit-closing levers and contact-terminals in the path thereof, a solenoid, a core therefor and means actuated by said core for successively moving said lovers to close circuit with said contacts.

23. In combination with a pluralityofswinging circuit-closing levers and contact-terminals in the path thereof, a solenoid, a core therefor and means actuated by said core for successively swinging said levers to close circuit with said contacts.

24. In combination with a plurality of pivoted circuit-closing levers and contact-terminals in the path thereof, a series of diiferent cam projections on said levers, a solenoid, a core therefor and a projection on said core bearing on said lever cam projections; whereby, when said core is attracted, said levers are successively moved to close circuit with said contact-terminals.

25. A solenoid, a core therefor, a contactterminal, a lever adapted to close circuit with said terminal, a cam projection on said lever and a projection on said core adapted to meet and travel along said cam projection; whereby when said core is attracted said lever is moved by said cam projection to close circuit with its terminal and thereafter held in closed position.

26. In combination with an electromagnetcoil, a support therefor, a fixed magnet energized by said coil, a swinging contact-lever of magnetic material, means for adj usting the swing of said lever, means controlled by said coil for moving said lever into attractive proximity to said magnet and a contact-tertric circuit is closed by said lever and terminal when said lever is attracted to said magnet.

27. In combination with an' electromagnetcoil, two fixed magnets energized by said coil, a swinging contact-lever of magnetic material pivoted to one of said magnets and prominal in the path of said lever; whereby elecvided with projections having" between them a recess to receive a pole of the other magnet, means controlled by said coil for moving said lever into attractive proximity to said magnet-pole and a contact-terminal in the path of said lever; whereby electric circuit is closed by said lever and terminal when said lever is attracted to said magnet-pole.

28. The combination of the brackets 9 and 10 of magnetic material, solenoid 11 carried between said brackets, solenoid-core 14, plate 15 thereon, lever 39 pivoted on said bracket 10 and having projection 56 provided with cam-surface 57 in the path of movement of said plate and a contact-terminal in the path of said lever.

29. The combination of the brackets 0 and 10 of magnetic material, solenoid 11 carried between said brackets, solenoid-core 14, plate 15 thereon, means for retarding the movement of said core when attracted by said solenoid, levers 38, 39 pivoted on said plate and having projections 56 provided with cam-sur- I. A. VAN WART, WM. I-I. SIEGMAN. 

